His Undesirable Wife

Prologue: Part 2

~~~
There is no despair so absolute as that
Which comes with the first moments of our first great sorrow,
When we have not yet known what it is to have suffered and be healed,
To have despaired and have recovered hope.
-George Eliot
~~~

Roentgen Estate;

The continuous, heavy taps on the front door caused Zachary to awaken from his satisfied slumber.
He glanced at Scarlet, who was sleeping beside him- her body flush against his- and smiled.

Another round of heavy knocking and a loud voice calling his name, caused him to frown and groan in frustration.
He lifted his arm from around the beauty sleeping next to him and climbed down the bed,; quickly donning his trousers, the thin white linen shirt and his blue robe.

His movement caused Scarlet to wake up and she sat up in bed, pulling the sheets around her naked body.

"What happened? Where are you going?"
She asked Zachary in a sleepy voice as he made his way towards the door.

"There is someone at the door. They are calling for me. Let me go and check. You should take some rest."
He spoke in an affectionate tone before making his way back to her and gave a swift but loving peck on her mouth.

Zachary descended the stairs faster as the pounding grew more urgent.

Scarlet had dismissed the servants and the helpers so he had to open the door by himself.

Pushing the bolts back, he pulled the heavy door open to meet the faces of the three soldiers.

He frowned seeing them there.
"What is the meaning of this? I believe I had made myself perfectly clear when I told you not to disturb me when I am at Roentgen Estate."
He spoke in a stern and annoyed tone.
His men never disobeyed him. He wondered what had possibly lead them to do that now...

"We apologize for the intrusion, My Lord but we had orders from Lady Margaret herself. She demands you to be home immediately."
The first soldier spoke slowly, looking at his feet.

Zachary's jaw tightened at his words.
He loved his mother but he certainly did not appreciate her treatment of his around his own men, totally disregarding his position as the Lord of the Estate but he swallowed his anger and asked in a firm tone,

"What for?"

The soldier answered almost immediately-
"Lady Saya is in labour, My Lord. It had started at night.
Lady Margaret asked us to inform you that she does not have much time left.
She has lost much blood, trying to birth a son and that this might be the last time you would be able to see her alive."
His words were rushed as if he feared he would miss something.

Zachary felt the ground beneath his feet give away.
His mind reeled at the new information and he did not even realise that he had mounted his horse and was already galloping his way to his estate, leaving the three men to follow after him.
__________________________________

Hayworth Estate;

"Where is she?"
Zachary spoke breathlessly, stopping a maid in the corridor.

She looked at him oddly and he noticed the unshed tears masking her eyes.
She simply pointed towards the gate of the birthing-chamber, at the end of the corridor and rushed past him.

Zachary did not waste any time dwelling on her strange behaviour and sprinted towards the closed door.

The entire estate, upon his arrival, had felt glum and lifeless; an eerie silence shrouded the place.